The Bengal Tap Room, a new sports bar from the owners of Kalurah Street Grill and The River Room, is now open at 421 Third St. in downtown Baton Rouge.

After some extensive work on the interior and patio, The Bengal opened softly last week. Business hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday.

In addition to nearly 40 taps of beers, patrons can expect bar bites like buffalo wings, fried pickles, cheese fries and boudin balls, as well as burgers, sandwiches, and a few soups and salads. Beers will rotate weekly, and the selection will be updated on The Bengal's page at beermenus.com.

Inside, The Bengal can fit about 100 guests. An additional 50 guests can fit on the patio. The bar also features TVs, a few arcade games, a jukebox and a stage for live music.

Brad Watts, Chad Hughes, Dustin Malina and Eric Carnegie are co-owners of The Bengal Tap Room. Watts and Hughes also co-own Kalurah Street Grill and The River Room. Hughes is a co-owner of Ivar's Sports Bar as well.

In a few weeks, the four of them and Kalurah Street Grill chef Kelley McCann will open Cecilia, a Creole restaurant inside the former Restaurant IPO space next door to The Bengal. An upscale event space for corporate events, receptions and rehearsal dinners in the old Office bar space is also set to open soon.

Zea to open in Denham Springs in August

The restaurant will be in the Juban Crossing shopping center, 27853 Juban Road, and is slated to open in August. It will be the second Zea location in the greater Baton Rouge area.

Zea Rotisserie & Bar will feature an updated look and "full refresh" of the brand. Updates include a new building design, modernized bar and dining area, contemporary fixtures and covered patio seating.

Overall, the new Zea will be 6,000 square feet and have seating for more than 200 guests. The Denham Springs location will be the second Zea to feature the redesign. Zea opened its first location in late 1997 in the greater New Orleans area.

Upcoming food events you can't miss:

Chef Richard Market's pop-up, Secret Lair Taqueria, will make its return to Tin Roof, 1624 Wyoming St., at noon Sunday. The event will feature brunch dishes and good brews. facebook.com/secretlairtaqueria.

Pelican House, 2572 Citiplace Court, hosts a Valentine's Day dinner special for two from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday. $45 per couple. Call (225) 456-5200 to make a reservation. On Thursday, the restaurant also will host a Galentine's Day event, which includes drink and food specials. thepelicanbar.com.